In Between Lights
by itsnotaboutlove
Summary: He was from the past. She would be his future. Steve Rogers/OFC
1. Chapter 1

**Not entirely sure what I'm writing, but it's an idea that came to me that I really needed to get out onto a document before my mind went crazy! **

Two weeks. Two weeks of a crash course in twenty-first century culture. Two weeks of meeting, plotting and fighting with people who were just like him, and saving the world from Loki and an alien army. Two weeks since he met her and his life changed forever. After splitting up, Steve managed to find Peggy and managed to find peace after a long talk with her. So much time had gone by since he was put into a deep sleep, and life went on. It broke his heart to hear how Peggy and Howard searched for months, hoping that they'd find him. Eventually she moved on, got married and had a family. She went on to dance with another, as he lay frozen for the next seventy years.

Taking the trip back to Manhattan from Peggy's home in Connecticut, he felt so sure that this was the right choice. It had to be, if he was going to live in this time period. There was no turning back. He knew she would be home, addressing whatever damages he and the others left behind during the attack. Parking the bike at the curb, Steve climbed off and made his way towards the stone steps. He'd gotten the address from Tony, who teased and snickered the entire time the computer searched for one Claire Jones.

Steve took note of the cracked concrete and scorched spots, which lined the steps and walls of the building. Despite Tony's assurance that Claire's townhouse wouldn't have serious damage since it was much further from the central zone of attack, he couldn't help but worry about the building. Ringing the bell at the door, Steve took a step back and waited. Nervously, he shuffled from foot to foot, his hands held firmly at his sides.

He was ready to bolt, when the door opened. Turning around, he saw her standing there with a look of shock on her face, and he felt the panic running through him. He was about to say something, when she smiled at him.

"Steve! I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed, before throwing her arms around him.

The force nearly knocked him back, but he managed to stay upright. Claire held onto him tightly, as if he would disappear. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back.

"It's good to see you too, Claire," he whispered into her blonde locks.

She lifted pulled back, her arms still around him, and smiled. "Come in! I'll make some tea and we can talk!" she said, taking him by the hand.

Steve was pulled into the front hall of the townhouse, and looked around at the open space before him. The artwork that covered the walls, the vases of flowers that sat on the tables. Claire shut and locked the front door, before turning back to look at him. She watched as he looked around, taking in everything before him. She smiled softly and stepped forward, placing her hand on his arm. Steve looked down at her and she smiled, before pointing down the hall.

"Kitchen is this way," she said, before making her way down the hall.

Steve followed behind, looking at the paintings as he went. Some he knew and others he didn't, due to the fact that his life was put on hold since '45. A few photographs sat on the walls in oak frames; some with possible family members, and a few of Claire with Tony and a blonde woman. Taking one last look at the pictures, Steve made his way into the kitchen and found Claire moving around with a teapot in her hand.

"Here, let me help you," he said, as he took a step forward.

Claire smiled, "It's alright, Steve. I can manage this," she said, smiling. "I made cookies if you're hungry," she said, nodding to the plate on the hardwood table.

Steve smiled, "Thanks," he said, as he made his way towards the table.

Setting the teapot onto the stove, Claire followed him and sat down across from him. She watched as he quietly ate, smiling softly when their eyes met.

"So, do you always bake on your days off?" he asked, plucking a napkin from the small basket on the table.

Claire shrugged, "No, not really. I haven't baked in ages and since Fury gave me some time off to clean up and check the damage. And I think he felt that it was time for me to take a vacation.." she said. "Besides, I can't make any uniforms when the entire team is off doing god knows what," she laughed.

The teapot whistled and she got up, quickly making her way towards the stove to turn the burner off. Steve watched as she moved around the kitchen, grabbing two mugs from the cabinet and spoons from the drawer.

"What kind of tea do you like? I have a bunch of different ones," she said, looking over her shoulder at him.

"Um, I'll have whatever you're having," he said, taking note of the colorful display of boxes that lined the shelves of the cabinet.

A few minutes later, Claire set a mug down in front of him and sat back down across from him. Once the sugar and the teabags were taken care of, Claire and Steve settled into a comfortable silence, as they sipped their drinks.

"So, where did you go? After Thor and his brother went back to Asgard, I was sure the rest of you would return. But when you didn't, I figured you all went into hiding," she said, glancing up at him.

Steve chuckled, "I think Dr. Banner did. I don't blame him, either," he said, shaking his head.

Claire managed a small smile, "Pepper called me the other day and she got Tony on the phone, reassuring me that he was fine and that I would see him this weekend. Natasha sent a text this morning and I'm guessing Barton is with her. I keep hoping that Bruce will respond to my emails and calls, since I'm worried about him," she said, tapping her fingers against her lips.

Then she looked at Steve, "And I tried getting a number for you, but Pepper said you didn't have a phone. Or email. Nor do you have a place of residence, so I couldn't drop by," she said, blushing.

Steve blushed as well, "Yeah. I, um, I'm still trying to understand the technology thing. I'm still used to telegraphs and actual letters- not text-messages or emails," he said.

Claire laughed, "I could teach you. I mean, I know it's a lot you have to catch up on, but I'm sure I can get you a phone and teach you how to use it," she said, shrugging.

"I'd like that, Claire. Thank you," he said, before taking another sip from his mug.

She blushed, "What are you going to do about your living situation?" she asked, reaching over for a cookie.

Steve shrugged, "I don't know. I guess I could talk to Fury about it, and see if they can find me a place," he said.

Claire looked down at the mug in her hands, her thumb tracing the rim of the chipped glass.

"You could stay with me.." she barely whispered, as she looked up at him. She felt her face burn and she quickly cleared her throat, "I mean.. I have the extra room. I could probably have the entire team move in!" she said quickly.

He chuckled, "I don't think Tony would leave Stark Tower," he said, making her smile.

"No, he wouldn't. An asteroid could hit it and he'd still stay in there, as the entire thing burned to the ground. That man is impossible," she said, shaking her head.

Steve pondered for a moment, thinking of her offer. It would be nice to live with another person, while trying to adapt to this new world that he was thrown into. Even though Claire was technically still a stranger to him, there was something about her that made him feel like he'd already knew her. And she would be a better roommate than Tony or any of the others.

"If you're sure," he finally said, to which she smiled.

"I don't mind at all! Besides, I'm your best option, since I only make your uniforms. The only thing I can wield is a sewing machine and a needle," she shrugged.

"Thank god. I was waiting for you to tell me that you shot fire from your hands or something," he laughed.

Claire laughed, "Luckily I locked up my machine gun in the attic," she said, as she got up from her seat.

She gathered the empty mugs and looked up at Steve, bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Oh.. I was kidding! I don't have a machine gun!" she said, as Steve gaped at her.

"Y-you don't?" he asked, as she moved to the sink.

She shook her head, "No. My only weapon of protection is a toilet bowl scrubber, which wouldn't save me at all," she said.

"Well, maybe it's a good thing I'm moving in," he said, making her blush. He cleared his throat, "Say, how about we go out for dinner tonight? My treat," he said, smiling at her.

Claire smiled back and nodded, "Sure, what'd you have in mind?"

"Have you ever had shawarma?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! Thank you for all the reviews on the first chapter! I was NOT expecting so many! Anyways, this chapter is short since it's nearly 1 am here in NY and I have to get some sleep before finals tomorrow morning- or should I say later today. Anyways, I hope you enjoy and I will update soon! Thank you all! Xoxox**

"Whoa, wait. Captain America is living in your townhouse?"

Claire glanced up from the gadgets strewn about on the worktable and glared at the man before her, "Yes. Steve Rogers is living in my townhouse," she snapped.

Tony snorted, "Is he your boyfriend now?" he asked, heading towards the bar for a drink.

Claire rolled her eyes, "Must you be so.. annoying?" she asked, brushing her fingers against the helmet that was propped up for repairs.

"Annoying's my middle name, sweetheart. And stop touching my suit," he said, pouring a scotch for himself. "Do you want anything? Tea? Juice?" he asked, setting the bottle down.

She made her way over to the bar and sat leaned against the counter, "Funny," she said, as he smirked at her. "Actually, I'm inviting you and Pepper over for dinner tonight. I also invited Natasha and Clint, but I'm not sure if they'll be able to make it. And I hope that you didn't scare Bruce off into hiding, because I like that man," she said.

Tony winced, "Do you really want the Hulk at your dinner table? What if he goes into one of his rage moments, and destroys the entire place?" he asked.

Claire growled, "He will be fine, Tony. You just need to keep your trap shut and avoid causing him any stress!" she warned.

The older man held up a hand, "Fine. Pepper and I will be there tonight for your dinner party. What time?" he asked.

She grinned, "Seven. And bring a bottle of wine, please. If I'm making the food, a nice bottle of wine will suffice. And you don't have to get all dolled up. It's a causal dinner, not a fundraiser!" she said, pushing herself away from the counter.

Tony stomped his foot, "Darn! And I was going to wear my new Dolce tux!" he pouted.

Grabbing her bag off the table, Claire made her way to the elevator.

"I hope you and Rogers have a splendid time living together. Have fun "educating" him on how we roll," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Claire managed to give him the finger as the elevator doors closed, his laughter filling her ears and the elevator descended to the ground floor. Two hours and one subway ride later; Claire was unlocking the door to her home, struggling to carry several grocery bags. She managed to get the keys into the lock, resulting with a bag falling to the ground.

"Shit!" she muttered, trying to shift one bag into the other arm.

"Claire? Is that you?" a voice from inside called.

A few minutes later, the door swung open and Steve stood before her, looking at her with concern. She managed to smile at him, shifting the bag up in her grasp. He bent down and picked the bag off the ground, before taking the other two from her.

"How.. never mind," she said, shaking her head and he held all three bags as if they were filled with nothing.

Steve stepped back to let her in, and watched as she closed and locked the front door.

"How did you manage to carry all this home?" he asked, as he followed her into the kitchen.

"Not sure. I was doing good until I got off the subway and walked four blocks," she said, pointing to the table. "Just put them there.." she said, setting her keys and bag onto the chair.

Steve placed all three bags onto the table and watched as she started to unload them, "I'm going to make chicken- I hope your not a vegetarian," she said, pulling the packages of chicken out of one bag.

He shook his head, "Chicken sounds good," he told her, helping her unload the groceries.

While she was out, Steve explored the townhouse, looking in every cabinet and drawer of the kitchen. Some of the things on the shelves he could remember, while other things sounded foreign to him. He still couldn't get over the boxes of tea bags that lined the cabinet above the toaster. The variety of colors and flavors blew his mind, since he couldn't recall ever seeing mango and lemon infused tea in his short life.

"Good. I know Tony will find something to complain about it, but I know Pepper will control him. Have you heard from the others?" she asked, pulling a baking dish out from the cabinet next to the sink.

Folding the paper bags up he shook his head, "No. Fury called to see how you were doing and was surprised when I answered the phone," he said.

Claire laughed, "I bet he was. For some reason he thinks I like living alone, in this big old house. I remember the first time he came here, he was expecting to see fabrics and sewing machines flooding the rooms and every nook and cranny," she said.

He laughed, "Well, you did have a messy workplace on the Helicarrier," he pointed out, as she turned the oven on.

"I like having all my materials out in one place. That way, if I need something it's right there," she said, as she started rinsing the chicken off in the sink.

Steve grabbed the bag of potatoes and made his way over to her, "Can I?" he asked, nodding to the faucet.

Claire nodded, "Sure," she said, moving over a bit so he could stand next to her. "There's a bowl right there and a knife," she said, nodding to the dish rack in front of him.

As she set the chicken into the baking dish, Steve washed and cut the potatoes into the bowl. Seasoning the chicken, Claire set the tray dish into the oven and washed her hands off, before grabbing another pan.

"This is nice. Having someone cook with me," she said, watching as he cut a potato up.

He glanced at her, "You've never cooked with anyone before?" he asked, confused.

She shrugged, "When I was little, I would help my mother. By the time I was eleven, I knew how to make my own food and I cooked for myself after that," she said, as he set the knife into the sink.

Steve watched as she dumped the diced potatoes into the tray, sprinkling herbs and spices on them. Once the tray was in with the chicken, she wiped her hands off on a dishtowel and turned to him, smiling.

"That should take an hour or two. I'm gonna hop into the shower real quick and I'll come back down to keep and eye on everything," she said, before making her way out into the hall.

Steve only nodded, and watched as a blur of green and yellow dashed down the hall, before disappearing around the corner. Listening to her footsteps going up the stairs, he couldn't help but think of the sadness that consumed her face when she spoke of her mother.


	3. Chapter 3

After a surprise appearance by both Natasha and Clint, dinner went on without a glitch, much to Claire's relief. After shooing everyone out into the parlor room, she managed to clear the table off and place the leftovers into the fridge. Feeling bad for leaving her alone to clean, Steve returned to help. Despite her protests, Claire gave up and watched as he stacked a bunch of plates up from the table.

"You don't have to do this," she said, as he set them into the sink.

Steve grabbed a dishtowel and wiped his hands off, before rolling the sleeves to his elbows. He looked over at her and smiled, "You cooked for all of us," he said, running the first plate under the faucet.

Claire shook her head and leaned against the counter, "You know, they don't make men like you anymore. Polite and respectful," she said, as he set each clean dish onto the drying rack.

He laughed, "I'm sure there are plenty of men like me who are polite and respectful," he said.

She shook her head, "No, those kind of men either pretend or eventually turn into assholes," she said, with a sigh. "But you, you're a real gentleman. I mean, sure you're from the forties and you're not used to this era. But when you do get settled in, don't change," she said.

Steve looked over at her and she nodded, "Please don't. I'm sure Tony and Clint will try to get you used to this.. twenty-first century lifestyle. But it's so not cute," she said, rolling her eyes.

He managed a small smile, "I thought the pants down to your knees look was… hip?" he asked.

She snorted, "Oh god. If Tony makes you wear something like that, I will kill him," she said, covering her mouth.

Both were laughing as Pepper and Natasha came into the kitchen, looking frustrated and excited as Claire and Steve stood laughing.

"Where is all your alcohol? Tony is annoying the hell out of me!" Pepper exclaimed, while glancing between the young fashion designer and Captain America himself.

"Um, there's a liquor cabinet in the parlor room by the bookcase. I don't know how good that stuff is though, since it hasn't been opened since.. the eighties?" she said, shrugging.

Pepper nodded, "Maybe there's something strong enough to knock him out!" she said, before rushing back out.

Natasha shook her head, "Is it alright if I make some coffee?" she asked.

Claire nodded, "Yeah! Coffee mix is in the cabinet right there and the fridge is stocked with whatever creamer you can think of," she said.

The red head gave her a small smile and moved to the coffee machine, quietly setting it up. Steve turned the faucet off and dried his hands on the towel, before folding it up and placing it on the counter.

"I should probably go out there and make sure our billionaire philanthropist, isn't causing too much trouble," he said, before stepping away from the sink.

Claire watched as he made his way out of the kitchen, moving to the side to allow Pepper back in, before disappearing down the hall. Pepper looked at his retreating back, before turning to the blonde by the sink.

"Oh honey…" she started, pouting.

Natasha turned to look at her, "Are you checking out his ass?" she asked, as Claire's head tilted to the side, long after Steve stepped into the parlor room.

Pepper squealed, "Oh my god! You are!" she exclaimed.

Claire jumped out of her daze and blushed, "Oh for heavens sake! I was not!" she cried, as she grabbed a tray for coffee and desert.

Pepper helped her, grabbing cups and plates, "It's okay if you were, Claire," she said, as Claire moved to set the water for tea.

Natasha shrugged, "If he was my type of guy, I'd probably stare too," she said, as the coffee pot came to life and started brewing.

Claire went to the fridge to retrieve the cake she bought, and set it on the counter. Grabbing a knife, she began cutting slices and laying them on the plates.

"Can we please not talk about his ass?" she asked, as Pepper helped with the tray.

Natasha poured herself a cup of coffee and snickered, "You're so innocent, Claire," she said, turning around to look at her. She then tilted her head to the side, "It's cute. And dare I say refreshing?" she asked.

Claire rolled her eyes, "Thanks Tash. Way to make me look like Bambi," she said, as she made up a cup of tea.

"Who's that for?" Pepper asked, as she put the coffee pot onto the tray with the cups and sugar.

"It's for Steve," she said, putting a spoonful of sugar and a slice of lemon into the glass, just like Steve had that morning.

Natasha and Pepper glanced at each other, before looking back at Claire. Claire picked up the glass and placed it onto the tray with the other cups and picked it up. Pepper did the same with the tray holding the cake, and followed her out of the kitchen, Natasha hot on their heels.

They could hear Tony laughing and bragging about the repairs that he needed to do for his suit.

"I think we should go into the market! I mean, we're this new hot and fresh group! What if we took the "Avengers" name and made it into a global franchise?" he asked, as Clint and Steve looked at him.

"I do hope you realize that you have two other members of your team. I don't think it would be wise to make such decisions without them here," Claire said, as she set the tray down on the table.

Tony rolled his eyes, "You're just mad that I can be made into an action figure and you can't," he said.

Claire looked him, "Yes, I am so jealous that I wont be made into a piece of plastic," she snapped, a she picked up the cup of tea.

While Pepper went on to reprimand Tony, she made her way over to Steve and held the cup out.

"I don't know if you like coffee, so I brought you this instead," she told him, as he gently took the cup from her hands.

He looked grateful for the offering, "Thank you, Claire. This is perfect, " he told her as she smiled.

"Good. I know you can't get drunk, so I figured alcohol was out," she babbled, blushing as she did so.

Tony snorted, "Look at her. She's swooning!" he laughed, as Pepper shot him a look.

Claire quickly stepped away and turned to the two women before her, "Why don't we leave the boys down here to chat, and we can go upstairs? I want to take a look at all those shawls you brought from India!" she said, nodding at Natasha.

As they stepped out into the hallway, Claire reached for the doorknob and looked at the three before her.

"Play nice! And don't break anything, Tony," she warned, before closing the door.

Once the door was closed, Tony quickly put his glass down and turned to Steve.

"Finally. We need to have a chat," he said, looking at the super-solider who sat in the armchair.

Clint watched as Tony eyed the man and sat back with his coffee, ready for what he thought would be a showdown.

"What?" Steve asked, confused and unprepared for what would come out of Tony's mouth.

"Now, I know you are living here with Claire-" he started, before Clint interrupted him with a laugh.

"You're living _here? _With Claire?" he asked, chuckling.

Steve frowned, "What's this about?" he asked, while Tony rolled his eyes at Clint.

"That's what I just said, Legolas!" he snapped, before turning back to Steve. "I can tell that there is some sort of attraction going on. She is practically swooning left and right over you, and you're… out of touch with the entire lady thing," he said.

Clint snorted while Steve stared at him, "I-I don't know what you're talking about, " Steve said, as he set his tea down on the table.

Tony rolled his eyes again, "All I am saying is, you need to keep your eyes open when around her. She's not some girl you swoop off your feet then toss to the side once you're done!"

"I would never do that to her!" Steve said, appalled that Tony would even think of something like that.

Clint laughed, "You're SO out of touch with the ladies, kid," he said, shaking his head.

Steve shook his head, "I am not here to hurt her, Tony," he said.

Tony sat back against the couch and let out a sigh, "I hope you're telling the truth, Steve. Because that girl has been through hell and back," he said, looking up at the ceiling.

Clint and Steve glanced at each other, before looking back at him.

"What do you mean, she's been to hell and back?" Clint asked, leaning forward in his seat.

Tony sat up and rubbed his hand down his face, before picking up the tumbler from the table.

"I've known Claire since she was sixteen. She was the youngest student enrolled at FIT, when Pepper went in for a fundraiser that we were having. The girl has some serious talent, which you boys know, and Pepper told me I had to meet her and see her work. So I did, mostly so Peps could stop hounding on me to get on it, and I went to see her at the school. I knew the moment I saw her, that she possessed this.. spark of life that I'd never seen before," he said, shaking his head.

"What happened then?" Clint asked, as Tony sat quietly on the couch.

"I was impressed by her work. She just grabs whatever writing instruments near her, and starts drawing. I remember being in the middle of a conversation with her about what Pepper had briefed me on about her, and she grabbed a green sharpie marker and within five minutes, she managed to draw out an entire suit with every little detail on it. She even drew me! And it was good!" he chuckled.

Steve managed a small smile at that, "She said something about her mother today.. and I couldn't help but notice this look that was on her face. Sadness,"

Tony nodded, "Her father disappeared when she was ten, while doing work in Malaysia. He was a doctor and he was there helping with a drought that nearly killed over a million people, when an off shore earthquake sent a tsunami, washing everything and everyone away. They never found his body and when word came back to home, her mother went crazy and killed herself,"

Steve closed his eyes and shook his head, while Clint looked down at his glass. Though they hardly knew the girl, who managed to steal all their hearts on the Helicarrier when Coulson introduced her to them. But Tony and Pepper were the two that knew her the best, as if they'd adopted Claire and made her their own.

"How did she get involved with S.H.E.I.L.D?" Clint asked, glancing up from his coffee.

Tony sighed, "Well, after our first meeting, I kept in contact with her. Pepper adored her and after much begging, Claire was our go-to girl for clothes. Nothing made her happier than seeing our faces when she came over with finished projects," he said, shaking his head. "Pepper wanted to adopt her right on the spot," he said.

"I'm not exactly sure how Fury got a hold of her, because Claire wont tell me. But I'm guessing he found her during a search for a suitable candidate to make our suits. And besides you, she managed to make Coulson smile and loosen up," he said, nodding towards Steve.

A shock of sadness passed between the three of them, remembering the man who was so excited to meet his idol before his life ended at the hands of Loki.

"So now you know, Captain. I love that girl as if she was my own flesh and blood. She might as well be, because I don't even know if I'll have my own children in this life. So if you break her heart, I will blast you so hard that you'll find yourself so far back into the past, you won't even know what hit you," he warned.

"Why do I get the feeling that you just gave Steve permission to marry her?" Clint asked, frowning.

Tony raised the tumbler to his lips and took a sip, before setting the glass down onto his knee.

"Barton.." Steve began, blushing with embarrassment.

"At this rate, I'm expecting a formal announcement of "We're dating," within a week," he said. "Young love.." he muttered, rolling his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Claire, Natasha and Pepper sat around the table, and looked over the fabrics that Natasha brought back from her short trip in India.

"Oh, this one is so nice!" Claire said, as she held up a pale blue shawl.

Natasha gave her a small smile over the rim of her glass, and watched as Pepper picked up a red one.

"The detailing on these is fascinating! I've never seen anything like this, "she gasped, as her fingers traced the gold threads, shaped as flowers.

"I wasn't sure which colors to buy, so I bought all of them. I think I wiped the lady out, too," Natasha said, as Claire ran fingers across the other pieces on the table.

She then looked up at the woman and smiled, "You didn't have to buy all these!" she said, but Natasha shook her head.

"I saw them and I knew I had to buy them for you," she said, setting her cup down on the table. "You're one of the nicest people that I've been lucky enough to encounter in my life. At first, you freaked me out with your bubbly personality and the constant smile that you wore. But I knew I liked you when you put Tony in his place during that argument in Banner's lab on the Helicarrier," she said.

Pepper snorted, "I can only imagine what he did this time," she said, as she continued to rifle through the fabric on the table.

"Besides, I figured a fashion designer with your talent, could make something out of all these," she said, nodding to the pile on the table.

Claire laughed, "Oh I will. I hope you like green, because I will make you a dress just for the hell of it,"

Natasha laughed, "Not a fan of dresses, but I would wear it," she admitted. "I've seen your work, Claire. Not only did you fix up my uniform with such care, but you've managed to make Steve look pretty damn good in that costume," she said, smirking.

Claire blushed, "I- Agent Coulson was the one who had all the ideas. I just drew them out and when he gave his approval, I got to work.." she said, as the women laughed.

"Oh please. I know you made those pants a little tighter than the original," Pepper said, as she giggled.

"What is it with you and butts? Does Tony's not please you at all?" Claire asked, as she started folding the fabric up.

Pepper snorted, "Tony's butt his fine, Claire. I just think it's cute that you and the Captain are living together," she said, shrugging.

"We're not dating,"

Natasha shrugged, "So? You two are pretty cute together. It's like a cuteness overload. I think he's good for you, Claire. Besides, I saw that instant attraction between you two when we all got together during the meeting," she said.

Claire carried the loot of fabric over to the counter and placed it next to the other bolts she had yet to put away, before turning around to face them.

"It's weird," she said, leaning against the counter.

"Weird because we all know there's potential for something good?" Pepper asked, frowning.

Claire shook her head, "No. Weird as in.. I feel like I knew this would happen," she said, playing with her necklace.

Pepper and Natasha looked at each other, before turning in their seats to look at the blonde.

"Okay, spill. What are you talking about?" Natasha asked.

Claire sighed, "Ever since I was a kid, I've had these dreams," she started, looking at them both. "In every one of them, there's always this figure. I can't see who it is, nor can I hear its voice. It's like someone took a pencil and shaded in everything around him," she said, shaking her head.

Pepper frowned, "Honey, why didn't you say anything about these dreams?" she asked.

Claire shrugged, "I just figured it was due to the lack of sleep and my over-excited imagination," she said.

Natasha eyed her for a moment, "What happens in these dreams?" she asked.

"I'm either in danger or just drifting along in my life. One dream I was drowning and in the other I was in the park. That figure is always there, waiting or saving me," she said, shrugging. "I know they wont hurt me, because as soon as they're near, I feel this overwhelming sensation and then I wake up," she finished, as she looked up at Pepper and Natasha.

" What does this have to do with Steve?" Pepper asked.

Claire ran her fingers through her hair, "I don't know. For a moment, I thought maybe he was the one in my dreams. That maybe it was him all along? Oh god, I don't know. It's just weird that I have an American icon living in my townhouse and he's so goddamn polite and wonderful!" she exclaimed.

"You make that sound like a bad thing.." Natasha said, as she wrapped her arms over the back of the chair.

Stepping away from the counter, Claire made her way over to one of the projects she started on.

"It's not," she said, inspecting the lace trimming. "I'm just afraid that when he starts catching up, that he'll change," she said.

Pepper laughed, "If he's living with you, I don't see that happening at all," she said.

Claire looked at her and Pepper nodded, "Steve's a good guy, Claire. I really don't think he's going to change that drastically after being out of touch for seventy years. That boy has a big heart and I would hate to see him change just so he can "fit in" with the rest of the men,"

Natasha nodded, "She's right. While I kinda find it annoying with the whole "Ma'am and Sir," thing, it is kinda nice that he's truly polite and it's not all for show," she said, shrugging.

Claire sighed, "I do like him," she admitted.

Pepper smiled, "I know, kiddo. And I am hoping that you two start dating, because I hated the last guy you were with, " she said.

She laughed, "I know you did. So did Tony, who didn't hesitate to remind me every single chance he could get," she said, rolling her eyes.

"At least he and Steve have something in common- the whole "We are big tough men! We fight aliens! Avengers!" Natasha said, lightly pounding her fists on the table, as she spoke in a deep voice.

Pepper and Claire snorted, "That fight they got into.. " Claire said, shaking her head.

"Eh, they seem pretty fine to me. I'm more concerned about his friendship with Banner," Natasha said.

Pepper frowned, "How close are they now?" she asked.

Claire sighed, "Oh Pep, you can consider them science boyfriends," she said, before giggling.

Natasha cleared her throat, "You know, Rogers is out of sync with the rest of us. I mean, he's been asleep for almost seventy years. How the hell are we going to explain seventy years worth of history to him?" she asked, looking between Pepper and Claire.

"Books? Movies?" Pepper shrugged, unsure herself, as to how this task would take place.

"I can show him how to use the computer and take him to get a library card," she said, before gasping. "The museum!"

When she got blank stares in response, she rolled her eyes. "Artwork! Steve's history ended in 1945. I can take him to the MET, the MOMA and even the Museum of Natural History! Why read endless amounts of books, when you can visually see things?" she asked, smiling.

Pepper grinned, "You could also make it a.. date?"

Natasha nodded, "I like this idea. What else?" she demanded.

"A date?"

Pepper nodded, "Well, yeah! You wear a pretty dress and you two go to the museum together and look at paintings. Maybe hold hands and then take a walk in the park," she said, looking at Natasha who made a face. "Oh come on! I have to live through this one, since Tony wont do this!" she said, pointing to Claire.

"I-I never asked a guy out before though," she said, wringing her hands.

"OH stop! You'll be fine! All you have to do is go up to him and say "Steve, would you like to go to the MET with me tomorrow?" and do that cutesy little smile thing. It works when you ask Tony to bring back crazy fabrics when he goes on business trips," Pepper said.

Natasha snorted, "Are we trying to give the guy a heart attack?" she asked.

Claire shrugged, "I could do it! I'll ask him later tonight, after everyone's left," she said, nodding.

"And you'll text me his answer right away?" Pepper asked.

Claire nodded, "Yes, of course!"

"You guys are so, girly. All this sugary stuff is starting to make me sick," Natasha said, as she stood up from her chair.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the delay! Thank you so much for the reviews! **

It took Claire two days to gather the courage to ask Steve out. After multiple texts from both Pepper and Natasha, and many opportunities of bringing up the idea of going out to Steve, Claire finally asked over dinner. Both blushed furiously and Steve agreed to a day at the MET and a possible lunch afterwards.

So early the next morning, Claire woke up and got ready, as she video-chatted with both Pepper and Natasha. After a few disagreements on clothes, both women agreed that the white and yellow sundress was a perfect choice, along with the tan flats. Once she was dressed and ready, Claire made her way downstairs and found a hot cup of tea waiting for her.

"You look nice," Steve said, as she stood by the counter with her tea.

She blushed, "Thank you. You look nice too," she said, taking in the signature khakis and plaid button down shirt he always wore.

After a quick and light breakfast, Claire and Steve headed out towards to the nearest subway station, which would lead them to the museum. It was amusing to watch Steve in the subway, as he took in all the changes that occurred since the forties. It was a ten-minute walk from their walk, which they spent talking about what Steve could remember before his seventy-year nap.

"I don't remember everything being so…" he struggled to find the accurate word.

"Advanced?" Claire offered, as they crossed the street.

Steve nodded, "It's going to be a lot more harder to grasp I think," he said, and she smiled softly at him.

"But you have me," she said, before blushing, as Steve looked at her. "I-I mean, you have me and everyone else to help you. We're not going to let you out in the world without any knowledge of how it works now. I'm sure you'll find things that are still the same from the last time you were out," she said.

He smiled at her, "I know," he said, nodding.

Making their way up the steps, Claire led Steve into the main lobby of the MET. She looked over her shoulder and smiled, as he looked around in wonder. It had changed a lot since the last time he was there, long before the war. Everything was cleaner and updated. And it felt so big to him, as he followed Claire to the desk. Once she paid and collected their visitor pins, she grabbed a map and led Steve towards the stairs.

"So, what do you want to see first? We can look at Egypt or we can start with more recent works and work our way back?" she said, opening the map up to see where everything was located.

"How about we see as much as we can before lunch?" he suggested, as she skimmed the exhibits on the first floor.

She looked up at him with a smile and nodded, "Okay, that sounds good," she said.

They spent hours looking at tomb paintings of the high kings of Egypt and the life-like statues of Greek and Roman civilizations. From there, they moved onto paintings of the Renaissance and Baroque, before moving onto Modern Art. Claire spoke of nearly each piece they saw, digging through her brain for the information that had been crammed in there since college. A few times she would stop and apologize for talking so much, but Steve would smile and tell her that it was fine and would ask questions about each piece.

"This one has always been my favorite," Claire said, as they stopped in front of a large canvas.

Steve leaned forward to read the plaque next to the painting, before glancing at the woman in the painting.

"I don't know much about Bastien-Lepage, except that he was a Salon painter during the 1880's I think," she said, as her eyes roamed the canvas.

Steve looked at it too, taking in the woman who stared up an unseen focal point, while standing in what appeared to be a yard or forest, with a little house behind her.

"I didn't think Joan of Arc would look like that," he said, taking in the woman's ordinary brown skirt and blue top.

"Many don't. But I think it's extraordinary, seeing her without the armor that I've seen her depicted in," she said, with a sigh.

Steve looked down at the blonde, "Why do you like it?" he asked, making her look up at him.

"I made up my own story the first time I saw it. I know it's an image of Joan hearing the voices of the saints, but to me it was something different. I always thought she was a young woman, waiting for someone to return to her. A long lost love, " she said, with a shrug.

Then she laughed, embarrassed with herself, "God, that sounded so corny. Forgive me, I guess I'm still holding onto silly nonsense that my six-year old self created," she said.

But Steve shook his head, "No, it's fine. I think it's normal to make your own interpretation of what you see. Just because the artist painted it to mean one thing, doesn't mean it can't mean another to the viewer. I mean, I think the art from after the war looks pretty… boring. Especially that one of the three colors. I still don't understand what it means and how it got here," he said, shrugging.

Claire snorted, "I tend to ignore some of the art that came out after the war. Luckily I focused on fashion when I graduated high school, and when they have the costume institute open, I spend most of my time there," she said, as they moved away from the painting.

They looked a few more exhibits- ranging from Islamic to Asian art, before calling it a day and heading out for lunch. After roaming a few blocks, they venture into a deli and got sandwiches to go, and headed towards Central Park. Settling under a tree, Claire and Steve ate their lunches and conversed.

"What's it like, not being able to get drunk?" she asked.

Steve shrugged, "I guess to an average person, it would be a blessing. But back then, it was a nightmare, not being able to numb the pain of loss," he said, looking out at the park with sadness in his eyes.

Claire nodded, "I can't even begin to imagine what you went through," she said, as Steve turned to look at her. "When I first stared at S.H.E.I.L.D, Phil always talked about the "First Avenger", the man who became a "super-solider" and toured the nation during the war. He told me the stories that his father and grandfather told him, during his childhood," she said.

"He was a good man, Coulson," Steve said and she nodded.

"He was. And he admired you so much, Steve. When they found you, it was like Christmas came early for him. He demanded that he'd have part in the creation of your uniform, and I couldn't say no to him," she said, looking down at the grass. "I think for him, it was like reliving his childhood dream. To be able to work with you and meet you," she finished, with a sad smile.

Steve looked at her, as she watched a group of children running after a ball.

"I'm sorry that we couldn't save him,"

Claire shook her head, "It's not your fault, Steve. Or anyone's fault, but Loki's. And now he'll pay the price for what he did- not only to Phil, but also to the city. I'm sure Thor and the officials of Asgard will find a suitable punishment for him," she said. "I just wish I had the chance to slap that stupid grin his had on his face the entire time,"

Steve chuckled, "That would've been a sight to see," he said, making her laugh.

"I couldn't believe it when Thor said it was his brother. Granted, he's "adopted' but I just- Thor is like a big teddy bear, who wields a hammer and can control lightning and thunder," she said, a look of horror crossing her face for a moment.

Steve laughed and she continued, "But he's a lovely… immortal?" she finished, unsure as to how she should address the man.

"I can only imagine what you think about the rest of us," he said, resting his hands behind his head.

She grinned, "Well, you know how I feel about Tony. He's annoying and cocky, but he can be lovable when he wants to be. Bruce is very sweet and smart, and I wish he would come around more to visit. Clint is funny and his bow stills are exceptional, making every fictional character that uses a bow look like nothing! Natasha scared me at first, when she started working for Stark. And when we found out she was really an agent, I was freaked out even more and I wanted to kill her when she locked me in a closet. But I like her now, especially since she apologized for doing that," she said.

"She locked you in a closet?" Steve asked, bewildered at the though.

Claire nodded, "She claimed it was for my own safety, but I don't know. I think she was mad because I made a comment about her outfit she wore that day,"

Steve chuckled and Claire laughed, "It was ugly. Made her look huge and older," she said, shaking her head.

A silence fell between the two, as they sat under the shady tree, enjoying the early summer day.

"What about me?" Steve asked suddenly, as if it dawned on him that Claire didn't mention him.

She blushed, "You?" she asked, pulling a piece of grass out of the ground.

Steve nodded, "Unless there's another Steve Rogers running about, wearing a Captain America uniform," he said, smiling.

Claire looked at him for a moment, "Well," she started as she glanced down at the grass. "When I first met you on the Helicarrier, you weren't what I expected," she said.

Steve frowned and she quickly continued, "Oh! I mean- I saw pictures of you and everything, but when I saw you standing before me it was- surreal. There you were, a man who had been asleep for seventy years, standing before me. Technically you should be probably be in your eighties or.. dead. But you're still young and to me that freaked me out a bit," she rambled, blushing as she spoke.

"So.. I freaked you out?" he asked, unsure of how he should take the news.

Claire's eyes went wide, "Oh my god, no! Not at all! It's just-" she stopped, closing her eyes. "Look, I've seen my share of out of the ordinary stuff in my life, but when you have a scientist who turns into a giant green man, a god and a man who hasn't aged in years in one room- you tend to wonder if you've had a little too much to drink," she said.

"Thanks, I think," Steve, said with a frown.

Claire mentally slapped herself and let out a groan, "When I first saw you, I couldn't help but think of how handsome you were- are- and how polite you were, calling me Ma'am," she said quickly, before clamping her lips together.

He watched as she sat before him, blushing and glancing at him, trying her best to keep herself under control. Her green eyes were wide with shock over her sudden display and her revealing opinions about him. Suddenly, he wanted to tell her what he thought of her. How she was the brightest thing that filled a room of darkness, her bubbly personality as she playfully joked with Tony and asked Bruce and Clint a million questions about bows, arrows and turning to "a giant rage monster". How she asked Thor if all the myths were true about him and offered to set up a time and place for the God to meet with Jane, his mortal lover. Or how she kept a close eye on Natasha, as the assassin tried to make a conversation with the designer. And how he caught her several times, looking at him as if she knew him- Steve Rogers- and not Captain America. That maybe she was from his "past life", though he couldn't put his finger on it.

"I'm so embarrassed," she muttered, breaking him out of his daydream.

Steve reached out, touching her arm, "Hey, don't be," he said, as she looked up at him. "I didn't mean to pressure you into saying anything," he said.

Claire sighed; "It's not that-" she started, looking down at her lap. "This is crazy," she said.

She looked up at him and managed a weak smile, "I've only known you for three weeks, yet I feel like I've known you forever," she said.

Steve frowned, "What do you mean?" he asked, as she quickly stood up.

Claire gathered the trash, shoving it into the plastic bag, and slipped her shoes back on. "Never mind. Just forget I said anything," she said, gathering her bag.

He quickly got to his feet and followed her, as she made her way towards the path. Claire threw the garbage into the bin and started down the path towards the exit, Steve running to catch up.

"Claire! Claire wait!" he shouted, catching up to her.

He reached out a carefully took her arm, turning her to face him. "What did you mean back there? About feeling like you've known me forever?" he asked.

She shook her head, "Nothing. I meant nothing by it," she said, though he knew that she was lying.

Then she pulled herself out of his grasp and brushed the front of her dress down with trembling hands. She then turned on her heel and continued walking towards the exit.

"We should hurry- it looks like it might rain," she said, without looking back at him.

Steve watched as she walked, her hair blowing in the wind as it picked up. Looking up at the sky, he saw the grey clouds rolling in and the smell of rain filling the air. With a sigh, he quickly followed after her, crossing the street and heading down into the subway before the first drops of rain hit the concrete.

**AN: Here are the art pieces Claire and Steve were talking about:**

**Claire's: .org/Collections/search-the-collections/110000054#fullscreen**

**Steve's: .org/Collections/search-the-collections/210009541?high=on&rpp=15&pg=4&rndkey=20120516&ft=*&when=A.D.+1900-present&where=United+States&pos=59 **


	6. Chapter 6

The next few weeks went by in a flash, as Claire continued with her work, while Steve took crash courses on modern technology. When an invitation to Tony's annual Forth of July bash arrived via messenger, Claire knew she wouldn't be able to skip out on it this year. And it didn't help matters when both Pepper and Natasha broke through the front door, demanding that she get "her skinny ass" upstairs and behind that sewing machine.

Tony took both Clint and Steve to get suits, because Clint's hiking books and Steve's "old-man" wear wouldn't work at this party. While the boys shopped, Claire worked hard on fixing up one of Pepper's gowns and making an entire new one for Natasha. The day of the party, Natasha arrived early that morning to pick up her gown. Made entirely of black satin, Natasha looked like a sultry queen as her red curls were swept up into a bun, as Claire made sure nothing was out of place on the gown.

When she declared that Natasha was good to go, she helped her out of the gown and placed it into a dress bag, as the assassin changed back into her clothes.

"What are you wearing tonight?" Natasha asked, as she skimmed through the racks of finished works.

Claire set the pins back into their case and shoved them into a drawer, "I'm not going," she said.

Natasha quickly turned on her heel, "What? Why not?" she asked, a frown etched on her pretty face.

Claire sighed, "I don't feel like getting all dressed up," she said, clearing off her workstation.

The redhead gave her a hard look, before turning back to the rack of dresses. Pushing them back and forth, she finally settled on strapless, dusty-pink rose chiffon gown. The sweetheart neckline was met with a draped bodice, which gave it a different look. And with Claire's blonde hair and light complexion, the gown would look perfect on her and for the event.

"You're getting in the shower and you'll do your hair and makeup. I expect to see you at the party with this on, and if you're not there, I will come here myself and put you in this dress and drag you there myself," she said, setting the dress on the hook by the door.

Claire gaped at her, "Wh- No, I'm not going!" she exclaimed, as Natasha glared at her.

"If I have to get into a damn dress, so do you! And I WILL come back here and put you in it myself!" she said, as she snatched the bag that held her own gown. "I'll see you at seven-thirty," she said, before making her way out of the room.

Claire moved around the house the rest of the day, cleaning and doing laundry, stopping every few minutes in her workroom to look at the dress Natasha had picked out. At four, Steve sent a short text to let her know that he and Clint would be at Tony's place to get ready. At five, Claire was showered and doing her hair when Pepper called.

"Are you coming?" she asked, as Claire put her phone on speaker, setting it down on the bathroom counter.

"I'm doing my hair, so yes. I'll be there," she said, as she released a strand of hair from the curling iron.

Pepper squealed, "Thank god! I'll send a car around to get you at six forty-five!" she said, before hanging up.

Once her hair was curled and partially pulled up with a silver hair comb, she dashed into her room and pulled out her underthings and a pair of stockings. Once her make up was done and the dress was zipped up, the car was waiting downstairs at six forty-five, like Pepper said. Slipping on a pair of matching heels, Claire slipped her keys and phone into a gold clutch and made her way downstairs and out the door, locking up before she moved down the front steps to the car. It was a twenty-minute drive from her townhouse to the Waldorf-Astoria, which would house the event along with Tony's closest friends and business partners.

Claire stepped out on the busy sidewalk, and looked up at the twinkling lights of the hotel, before following a couple to the entrance of the hotel. Flashing her invitation, Claire went through the security scans, before making her way towards the Grand Ballroom. She could hear the music from inside, and the sound of chatter in the long hallway. Knowing Tony, he would've gone all out this year, hiring the best party planner to redesign the entire room. He did save the world from an alien invasion after all, and this was his way of showing everyone what he did.

Making her way through the doors, Claire took in the masterpiece before her. There was a lot of red and a lot of gold, covering the walls and tables. The band was alive and people were already dancing, or heading towards the dance floor. Claire made her way into the room and nodded at those who passed by, though they had no idea who she even was. Looking around the room, she searched for a familiar face and started to panic when she couldn't find anyone.

Meanwhile, Steve was standing with Clint and Bruce, who showed up and surprised everyone.

"At least it's free booze and food!" Clint said, as a waiter walked by with a tray.

Bruce rolled his eyes, pulling at the collar of his shirt. "I don't know about you guys, but I cannot wait to get out of here," he said, glancing at the people who walked by.

"Don't let Stark here you say that. He might provoke you and turn you in your rage monster," Clint smirked, as he took a sip from his drink.

Bruce shook his head and turned to Steve, who was searching the room. "What's wrong?" the scientist asked.

Steve turned to him, "Nothing. Just looking to see where the rest of our crew is," he said, before glancing back to the sea of suits and sparkling gowns.

Clint snorted, "More like searching for Claire," he said, causing Bruce to look at him with a frown.

"Claire?" he asked, as the archer nodded.

"Stevie here has the hots for our resident dresser and she has the hots for him," he snickered, as Steve tuned the two men out.

Steve slowly stepped away from them, as a flash of pink went in and out of his view, as the people moved by. Nearly being blinded by the sparkling jewels on one woman's gown, the sea of bodies shifted apart and there she was. Standing in the middle of the crowded room, her eyes roaming across the room. She too, was looking for a familiar face, in the sea of unfamiliar ones. Suddenly, their eyes met from across the room and it seemed as if she let out a sigh of relief when she spotted him. Steve made his way across the marbled floors and stopped in front of her, his eyes scanning her from head to toe.

Claire looked up at him, as he took in the pink chiffon and glittering bangles that rested on her wrists. He looked handsome in his simple black suit, his shoes shining in the sparkling lights of the ballroom. He reached out and took her hand into his, brining it up to his lips. Claire felt tingles shooting up her arm, as his lips connected to her knuckles.

He smiled softly at her, "You look beautiful," he said.

Claire blushed, "Thank you," she said, as she glanced down at the floor, before looking back up at him.

Steve set her hand down and held out his arm, to which she wrapped hers around and he pulled her close to his side.

"Our party awaits," he said, as he led her back towards Bruce and Clint.

During his absence, Natasha joined Bruce and Clint, waiting for Steve to return so they could find their table. Natasha was listening to a conversation between the two men, when she turned her head and smiled. Steve and Claire made their way towards them, both looking like two teenagers at their high school prom, as they both looked at each other with small smiles gracing their faces. She cleared her throat and both Bruce and Clint stopped their conversation and looked towards them.

Clint whistled, "Look at that," he said, shaking his head in shock.

Bruce was taken back as well, since the last time he saw the young woman, she wore army green and black clothes on the Helicarrier. Claire smiled at him, as both she and Steve approached the group, moving away from the Captain, as she pulled him into a hug.

"You're here!" she exclaimed, as he hugged her back lightly.

He chuckled, "Couldn't miss this for the anything" he admitted, as she scowled.

"I've been calling and emailing you! I've been so worried!" she scolded, as the scientist winced.

"I know. I've been busy.." he said, as she shook her head.

"How about we find our table? I think Tony is about to come out soon," Natasha said, as Claire opened her mouth to speak. Natasha looked at Steve and nodded towards Claire.

Steve nodded back and took her by the arm, "Ready?" he asked, as he led her away from the group.

After a few minutes, Bruce, Clint and Natasha found them at their table and sat down, waiting for the party to start. As conversations flowed around the table, more people began to make their way towards the tables.

"Is this seat taken?"

Claire turned around and smiled, jumping out of her seat.

"Thor!" she yelped, throwing her arms around the God of Thunder. "What are you doing here?" she asked, as he put her down.

"Lady Claire, I was simply invited to this mortal festival," he said, smiling down at her.

Clint snorted, "You look.. normal. How'd you get a suit?" he asked, as Claire took in the mortal attire he wore.

The brunette at his side raised her hand, "That was me.." she said, blushing.

Claire smiled at her, "You must be Jane," she said, holding out her hand.

Jane smiled and nodded, "I am. Jane Foster," she said, shaking her hand. "I'm guessing you're all friends with Thor? The Avengers?" she asked.

Everyone but Claire nodded, "I'm just the costume girl," she said, shrugging.

Jane frowned and Claire laughed, "I mean, I make the uniforms that these lovely men and the pretty lady over there have to wear," she said.

The brunette smiled, "That's pretty cool," she said, as Thor wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Shall we sit?" he asked, looking down at Jane.

Jane nodded, "Yeah, that would be a good idea. They were trying to get everyone in as we arrived. I'm guessing the party is starting soon," she said, as Thor led her around the table to the empty chairs.

A few minutes later, Tony and Pepper made their way out, greeted by a thunderous applause as everyone stood for him. Claire snickered as Tony bowed at soaked up all the attention, while Pepper stood at his side with a small smile on her face.

"She's going to kill him," Natasha whispered, which made Claire snort.

"Thank you! Thank you! I am so pleased that you all could come tonight, to this little shindig," Tony said, as the applause died down.

"Oh god- he makes the president's state of the union's look like shit," Clint muttered, as he tossed back his drink.

Steve watched as Tony addressed his close friends and business partners, about his "saving the world" and about his new friends that helped him. He leaned down to be at level with Claire, who watched the scene before her.

"Why do I get the feeling that we'll be a busy table?" he whispered, as she leaned in close to hear him.

"Because Tony wants to show you all off. You did save the world after all," she whispered back, looking up at Steve. "But don't worry, if we can't eat in peace, I'll fight them off," she said, smiling up at him.

After a few more words, Tony concluded his speech and wished everyone a Happy Fourth, before he and Pepper made their way towards the table. The party was in full swing now, as waiters moved about with food trays and drinks.

"Well, I think that went well," Tony said, as he approached the table.

He got a few eye rolls and groans- mostly from Bruce and Clint- while Pepper made her way over to them, giving them all a kiss on the cheek.

"And look at you!" she said, holding Claire's arms out to get a look at the dress. She then smiled at her, "You look beautiful, Claire," she said, giving her hands a squeeze.

Claire smiled and blushed, "Thank you. How's the dress?" she asked, nodding at the red ensemble.

Pepper ran her hands down the front of the dress and smiled, "Perfect. You did good, kiddo," she said.

As Pepper and Steve were introduced to Jane, Claire sat back in her seat and watched as the party progressed. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around in her seat to face Steve.

"Do you want anything to drink?" he asked, leaning close to her.

She smiled, "Sure. I'll go with you," she said, pushing her bag close to Natasha's.

After informing the others where they were going, Claire and Steve headed towards the bar that was across the dance floor. She ordered a martini while Steve got a beer, and they both waited as their drinks were being put together.

"Take note that this will be my only alcoholic beverage tonight," she said, as the bartender set both their drinks down in front of them.

They made their way back to the table with them, Claire holding her glass away from her to keep it from splashing onto her dress.

"Lightweight?" Steve asked, as he set his drink down on the table, along with hers.

He pulled her chair out and Claire sat down, as he pushed the chair in. Picking up her drink, she took a small sip and nodded.

"You have no idea,"


	7. Chapter 7

**I am SO sorry for keeping you all waiting! It's been busy here on my end of the world! It's taken me 3 days to really sit down and write something, but I've been feeling so icky that I can't even get my mind to produce a decent amount of work- for any of my stories. So this is a little short piece and I'm hoping after a nice long nap I will feel refreshed and ready to write like a madwoman! **

The sound of laughter filled the townhouse, as a rumble of thunder rolled through. The front door opened and closed with a bang, as the two adults stood in the front hall, drenched from head to toe. After a wonderful evening at Tony's party and a quick adventure back to Stark Tower to watch the fireworks that were still going off at one thirty in the morning, Steve and Claire decided to call it a night when the weather took a turn.

"Give me five minutes and I'll set the kettle on for water," she said, as she set her keys on the hall table. "I need to get out of this mess," she said, motioning to the soaked gown.

Steve nodded, "I'll put it on. You go change and I'll wait for you to come back down," he said, shrugging out of the suit jacket.

Claire nodded and quickly, but carefully, made her way upstairs to her room. Shutting the door, she hobbled across the room to her dresser and quickly pulled out dry clothes.

"Ah, dammit!" she muttered, as she moved as quickly as her dress would allow her to the bathroom.

Once she was stripped from the drenched gown and in dry clothes, Claire hung the gown over the curtain rod and grabbed a towel off the rack, before making her way out into the bedroom and into the hall. Quickly moving down the staircase, Claire heard Steve shuffling around in the kitchen and smiled to herself as she walked.

Stepping into the kitchen, she was surprised to see that Steve had already changed out of his wet clothes and was busy, moving around the kitchen with cups and teabags. He stopped and looked at her, smiling softly as she stood in the doorway of the kitchen.

"That was quick-" he said, as he set the cups down onto the counter.

Claire laughed, "I could say the same about you, too," she said, stepping forward. "Need any help?" she asked.

Steve shook his head, "No, you sit. I'll get this," he said, with a smile.

Claire went to the table and sat down, pulling her legs up onto the chair. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees, watching as Steve moved back and forth from the stove to the counter. A few minutes later, a steaming mug sat before her, the smell of lemons filling the hair. Smiling softly at Steve, Claire picked up the mug and took a sip.

A flash of lightning filled the room followed by a crack of thunder, the rain picking up and hitting the kitchen windows like bullets.

"It's getting nasty out there," Steve said, as he watched the rain coming down in sheets.

Claire nodded, "It's a good thing we left Tony's when we did. It would've sucked walking home in this," she said.

Another rumble could be heard in the distance, as they both sat in silence drinking their tea. The shrill ringing of the phone made them both jump, and Claire quickly got up to answer it.

"Hello? Oh hey Pepper," she said, glancing over at Steve. "Yeah, we got home ten minutes ago," she said, as she paced back and forth.

Steve watched as she twirled a loose strand of wet hair, pausing every few minutes to stand on her tiptoes, as Pepper blabbered in her ear.

"Yes Pepper. I will stay away from the windows and I will make sure that Steve does as well. You tell Tony to do the s- Pepper?"

Claire held the phone away from her ear and looked down at it, "That's weir-" she started, before the lights in the kitchen flickered out. "Lovely," she muttered, before clicking the phone off.

Steve chuckled, "Now I'm really glad we're home," he said, before taking a sip of tea.

She giggled, "Stranded in the city during a black out, is not fun! That happened to me once, right after I got off the subway thank god," she said, making her way back over to the table.

"Do you have candles?" he asked, as she got ready to sit down.

Claire paused and thought for a moment and nodded, "Yeah. I think I have a few in the cabinet next to the sink," she said, nodding her head.

Steve stood up and made his way over to the cabinet and pulled it open, using his hands to find the candles. Claire moved away from the table and headed towards the hall.

"I have flashlights in the closet- I just hope the batteries are good," she said, as she disappeared.

Ten minutes and major fumbling in the darkness, Claire fished out two flashlights from the closet and used one to find matches for the candles. It took a few minutes to light them, but once they were lit, the kitchen had a light glow.

"I guess we could sit here or move this to the living room. The couch is a lot more comfortable than these chairs," she said, as they sat across from each other.

A crack of thunder shook the house deep into it's foundation, and Claire gasped. Her grip on the flashlight tightened and she closed her eyes. Steve saw this and couldn't help but smile.

"Scared?" he asked, as she opened her eyes.

She smiled sheepishly, "A little," she admitted, embarrassed that she scared so easily in front of him.

Steve nodded, "You don't have to be. Nothing's going to hurt you," he said, smiling softly at her. "Not while I'm here," he finished, before blushing.

Claire looked down at the table, her face burning as she blushed as well. There was an awkward silence between the two, as lightning flashed and the wind picked up outside. Another crack of thunder rolled in and Claire quickly stood up, cautious of the candles burning on the table.

"I would feel a lot better in the other room," she said, as Steve looked up at her. "That way I could hide," she said, wincing at how silly it sounded.

He nodded, "Okay. Let's go then," he said, standing up as well.

Claire took a candle and followed Steve out of the kitchen, mentally slapping herself for how ridiculous she sounded.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay! I'll try to update more frequently!**

The storm raged on for hours, leaving all of Manhattan in darkness. Throughout the early morning hours, Claire and Steve sat in a halo of candlelight and talked. From his memories of the war, to what life was like now in the modern era. By four-thirty, the duo found themselves upstairs in her room, sitting on her bed as the thunder rolled and cracked outside.

"So people don't send letters anymore? It's over a computer?" Steve asked, as Claire popped a cookie in her mouth.

She nodded, "More or less," she said, as she chewed. "But I like to send an occasional letter from time to time."

Steve sighed, "There's so much I have to catch up on," he said sadly.

Claire pushed the tin of cookies to the side and crawled up the mattress, before settling next to Steve. They both sat in silence, as lightning lit up the room and the thunder shook the townhouse to its foundation.

"We could pretend.." she said softly.

Steve looked over at her, "Pretend?" he asked.

Claire nodded, "We can pretend that we still live in the forties," she said, looking up at him. She then rolled over onto her side, resting her head against her palm. "I could make us clothes from that time and we can listen to music and watch movies that came out before you- well you know," she offered.

Steve laughed, "You don't have to do all that," he said, looking down at her. "I have to move on and get used to this world," he said.

"But you can still have a part of yours, Steve. That's one of the many things I like about you," she said, blushing in the darkness.

"One of many things?" he asked, a small smile gracing his lips.

Claire nodded, "I already told you about being a gentleman and how nice it was to be around someone who has respect for people. But you have many redeeming qualities that make you one of a kind, Steve," she said.

Reaching for the cookie tin, Steve placed it on her nightstand, before slipping down on the mattress. Laying his head on one of the pillows, Steve laid on his side and faced her. She smiled at him, before pulling another pillow over. A few seconds later, Claire was resting her head on the cool cloud of feathers, and looking at Steve in the eye.

"You're like a girl out of time," Steve said softly, as they laid there.

"Why do you say that?' she asked, shifting her head against the pillow.

"You're different from the girls I've seen so far. It's like you were pulled out of one decade and thrown into this one," he said. "If I hadn't known this was two-thousand and twelve, I would've taken you as someone from my own time," he chuckled.

They fell into silence again and the storm continued on outside. Steve reached out and placed his hand on top of hers, as it rested against the heavy comforter on the bed. Claire closed her eyes as the heat from his hand radiated through her fingers and up her arm. It felt wonderful to feel anything but the harsh cold for once, as he held her hand. Pushing herself up onto her elbow, Claire looked down at him.

Steve reached up with his other hand and pushed the wild mane of hair away from her face, his hand sliding to the base of her neck. Leaning down, Claire found herself nose to nose with him. Her heart raced in her chest and her breath quickened as he stared at her, his hand still on the back of her neck. Then slowly, she leaned forward and placed her lips against his.

She didn't expect him to be a good kisser, though he was a little taken back at first. She expected awkwardness and messy, but Steve Rogers managed to take her breath away. Claire felt warmth and sparks as she kissed him, his hands holding her body against his. He was so warm against her skin, despite the goose bumps that rose upon her skin. Steve carefully rolled her over onto her back, leaning above her as he kissed her. His lips were soft and he smelled like clean laundry out of the dryer. Claire was certain that her brain would short circuit at any moment, as Steve continued to kiss her.

Neither could remember how they fell asleep, when they both woke up the next morning to rays of sunlight filtering through her bedroom. Claire groaned as the birds chirped outside, as the sounds of cars drove by the townhouse. She peered through her sleepy eyes at the alarm clock and saw that it was only ten after seven. With a yawn, she settled her head back down against the pillows and closed her eyes. In the process of falling back into a deep slumber, Claire was jolted awake when a arm wrapped around her waist.

"What time is it?" a mumbled voice asked, as she rolled over.

Steve had his eyes closed and the side of his face pressed against her pillow, the comforter pulled up to his chin. Claire snickered as she pulled the blanket down to look at him.

"Almost seven-fifteen," she said, as he groaned.

"I'm supposed to meet Tony at eight," he said, his eyes still closed as the sunlight expanded across the bedroom.

Claire sat up and pushed the blankets down from her body, "Then I suggest you get up and come downstairs for breakfast," she said, climbing out of bed. "Tony wont like it if you're late."

Claire then dashed off to the bathroom to wash up before moving downstairs to the kitchen. Pleased that the power was back on, she set on the task of making breakfast for them both. The water boiled for tea as she made scrambled eggs and bacon, before setting a few slices of bread into the toaster. As she turned the pieces of bacon over in the frying pan, Claire felt Steve standing behind her and she smiled to herself.

"Smells good," he said, moving to stand next to her.

"I hope so. Hopefully the power outage didn't screw anything up," she said, hopping back as the grease popped and sizzled in the pan.

"Here, I'll do this," he said, lightly taking the fork from her hand. "A little grease wont hurt," he said, with a smile.

Claire shook her head and moved to collect the toast from the toaster, placing them onto a plate. Once the table was set and the food was ready, they both sat down and ate quickly. Claire stayed in the kitchen to wash the dishes while Steve went back upstairs for a shower and to get dressed.

"What are you doing today?" he asked, as she met him by the front door.

"I have to meet Pepper and help her with picking out some stuff for the remodel. She insists that I help her with paint swatches and something about wallpaper," she said, making a face.

"Do you wanna meet up for lunch? Unless you two already had plans," he said.

Claire smiled, "I can get out of lunch," she said.

Steve laughed, "No, you have lunch with Pepper. I'll make dinner for you," he said, as she opened the front door.

"Dinner? For me?" she asked, as he stood in the doorway. "I never come home to a cooked meal," she said.

Steve chuckled, "I'll see you later, Claire," he said, before kissing her.

Claire leaned against the doorframe and watched as Steve made his way down the front steps of her townhouse and onto the busy sidewalk. Once he was out of sight, she went back inside and got ready for the day.

"I need to have sex so bad," Claire said, as she laid across the model bed of the department store.

"Jesus Claire! Could you not?" Pepper hissed, as an elderly woman shot them a dirty look.

Claire groaned, "Pep you don't understand!"

After grabbing coffee, the two women made their way down to Barney's to look for linens, before picking out paint supplies. It was during the drive to the department store, that Claire told Pepper about the kiss and waking up with Steve in her bed that morning.

"I think you're still drunk or buzzed. Which color should we use for the bathroom?" she asked, holding up two bath rugs in the very similar shade of green.

Claire frowned, "What? Neither- they remind me of Loki," she said, as Pepper looked down at the rugs. "Pepper I'm not drunk or buzzed. I just have this sudden urge to…" she said, trying to find the right words.

"Bone Steve?" Pepper finished, smiling sweetly at the younger girl.

"Yes- Wait! Not bone. Pepperrrrrr you are sounding more and more like Tony everyday!" she whined, as they moved through the store.

Pepper laughed, "Claire, just talk to Steve about it! I'm pretty sure he wants to sleep with you too!" she said, skimming through the different fabrics and appliances.

Claire groaned, "He's too polite to do that, Pepper. And I don't want him to think I'm some harlot!"

"Harlot? Oh god Claire," Pepper groaned, rolling her eyes.

Claire placed both her hands on Pepper's arms and pulled her close, "All I could think about after he left this morning was if sex with him would be just like his kissing. Pepper, I am having a crisis here!"

Pepper glanced at the surrounding shoppers, who watched them with looks of confusion and disgust. She smiled at them, before yanking Claire by the arm and towards the elevators. Once inside and away from prying ears and eyes, Pepper finally exploded.

"Of all things that are sane, Claire you need to chill out and just talk to the man! I cannot help you with your problem and I don't have the patience right now! We are in the process of remodeling the tower that a goddamn god and alien army destroyed, while trying to keep the press under control for this Avengers ploy that Tony and the others set up! I cannot deal with your sex life right now!" she shouted.

Claire stared at her with wide eyes, "Jesus Pep. All I wanted was some advice on how to ask the most polite man that I've ever met, if he wanted to have sex,' she said.

Pepper sighed, "Claire, if we're talking about the same Steve Rogers here, then you do realize that he's going to want to date you before doing that. I can't see him sleeping with you in that nature because you have an itch that needs to be scratched."

"Oh my god, I'm going to dieeeeeeee," Claire groaned, as she leaned against the wall of the elevator car.

"What the hells gotten into you! I've never seen you like this before!" Pepper exclaimed, as they stepped out onto the first floor.

Making their way through clouds of perfume and busy shoppers, they both stepped outside onto the sidewalk and made their way to the waiting car.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've had any sexual experience?" Claire asked, as the car pulled away from the curb.

Pepper shook her head and Claire continued, "Six years," she said, as Pepper's eyes went wide.

"Six? Oh my god, Claire. Is it because of A-" she started, before Claire cut her off.

"Yes and I was surprised myself when I realized that I wanted to sleep with Steve. I haven't felt like this since that part of my life, Pepper. I really like him," she said.

Pepper sighed, "Just take it slow, Claire. I don't want to see you getting hurt again," she said, patting her hand.

Claire nodded, "Fine," she mumbled.

Pepper nodded, "Good girl. Now lets pick out some paint and I'll buy you lunch?" she asked, giving her a smile. "I think a unhealthy amount of greasy food will help you with your sexual frustration," she said.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9: In which Tony has a talk with Steve and Claire comes home after a long day with Pepper and dinner doesn't go as planned. _

Steve sat at Tony's workstation, several floors below the original spot, and watched as the man fiddled with his mask.

"I take it you two kids got home safely last night?" Tony asked, as Steve slowly turned the soda can around in a circle.

He nodded, "Got caught in the storm but made it inside before it really picked up," he confirmed.

"Two adults stuck in a townhouse together," he started off. "No power and no connection to the outside world."

Steve frowned, "Didn't the power go out for everyone?" he asked, as Tony placed the screwdriver down.

"Yes, but I'm making the point that you two were alone together," he said, his eyebrows raised. "And Claire was slightly tipsy," he pointed out.

"She was not!" Steve exclaimed.

"She had a few drinks and was stumbling out onto the sidewalk!" Tony shot back. "Damn girl could've been taken advantage of!"

Steve rolled his eyes, "She was with me! I got her home safe," he said, as Tony rolled his eyes. "And you were the one handing her drink after drink, Stark! Told her it would loosen her up after all the stress," he snapped.

"Kid, if you put one hand on her I'll put your ass back into that iceberg," Tony warned, as he made his away over to the makeshift bar.

"SHE KISSED ME!" Steve exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

Tony stopped in mid-stride and turned around to face him, "She what?" he asked.

Steve blushed and looked down at the soda can before him, "She kissed me," he repeated, looking up at Tony. "Last night," he finished.

"She kissed you?" Tony asked.

"And then I kissed her this morning."

Tony stared at him for a moment, then turned on his heel and made his way over to the bottles of liquor that lined the countertop. Steve watched as he grabbed a bottle and glass, shoving a few ice cubes into the glass and pouring a hearty amount. Setting the bottle back down, Tony picked up the full glass and took a long sip, before setting it down on the counter.

"I think we need to have a talk, Rogers," said Tony, as he made his way back over to the worktable.

Steve looked up at him and watched as Tony took a seat on the stool across from him, setting his glass down next to his mask.

"I get you're way behind on the times, but how we treat ladies still goes the same way as you guys did back then," Tony started, earning a deadpan stare from Steve.

Tony rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean," he said. "Claire isn't the kind of girl you have your way with and then toss to the side. She's had a few relationships- all which ended on bad terms," he said, picking up the glass. "The last one," he said, looking down at the drink. "Ended really bad," he finished, tossing back the remainder of his drink.

Steve frowned, "How bad?" he asked.

"I'm not the one you should be asking, Rogers. That's something that Claire needs to talk to you about," he said, resting his elbows onto the tabletop.

Steve looked down at the pile of tools, bolts and other pieces of hardware in silence. "I would never do anything to hurt her," he said, picking up a screw from the pile of junk. "Every woman deserves respect and shouldn't' be used and tossed aside like nothing."

"Well Romeo, I'm just telling you. If you plan on sleeping with her and ditching her for someone else, I'll kill you. And don't even think for a second that the others wont take my side in this. They love that girl as a sister. As a friend," he stated, his tone serious and not to be trifled with.

"And I'm telling you that I have no intention of hurting her. I don't even know what the hell to do!" Steve exclaimed.

Tony snorted, "Are you kidding? You're Captain America! I bet you had ladies all over you back in the day!" he laughed.

Steve shook his head, "No, no I didn't," he snapped.

Tony stopped laughing and the air between the two became awkward and tense. "Well, I see.." he said, nodding slowly.

"Look, I think there's something there between Claire and I. But I don't know what to do that wont freak her out or show that I am a total idiot when it comes to women and relationships," said Steve.

Tony watched as the "younger" man ran his fingers through his hair, looking defeated at the prospect of asking Claire on a date.

"Let me ask you a question," he said, pointing at him. "Are you a virgin?"

Steve turned ten shades of red and stammered, "W-what? W-why do you need to know?"

Tony sighed, "Oh god help us all," he mumbled, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "I think we need backup," he said, reaching for the cellphone next to him. "Time to give you a crash course in dating and women of two-thousand twelve."

Many hours later, Claire returned to her townhouse and was greeted with the aroma of food. Pushing the door shut behind her, she dropped her keys and bags on the table and kicked off her shoes.

"Claire?" Steve called out from the kitchen.

"It smells so good in here!" she said, making her way into the kitchen. "What did you ma-" she paused, and stood still in the entry-way of her kitchen.

Steve turned around to face her, a smile on his face, when he took in her appearance. The smile quickly dropped from his face and he made his way towards her, "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I-" she started, before gagging, her hand flying up to her mouth.

She looked up at him with wide eyes, filled with shock and panic. "Claire?" he asked, as she gagged again.

"Oh fuck.." she mumbled, before turning on her heel and running out of the kitchen.

Steve quickly went after her, as she dashed up the stairs. "No..no.. no.. this can't be happening!" she chanted as ran into her bedroom.

"Claire! Slow down!" Steve shouted, as he ran after her.

For a man with his strength, Steve was shocked at how fast a woman- one who was smaller than himself- could move in panic. He made it through the bedroom and to the bathroom door, when he heard the first round of retching. Pushing the bathroom door open, Steve found Claire slumped over the toilet throwing up.

"Oh god. Go away! I don't want you to see me like th-" she cried, before throwing up again.

Steve stood over her and pulled her hair back with one hand, while the other rubbed her back.

"It's alright. Better out than in," he said, as she whimpered. "What did you eat today?" he asked.

"Food," she cried, as she gagged.

Steve bit back a chuckle, "I would hope so," he said, as she threw up again. He winced as the sound and the smell, before asking her again. "What did you and Pepper eat for lunch?"

Claire was silent, except for the whimpering and sniffling, before she answered. "Some type of tofu thing and some awful organic drink. Pepper said it would cleanse my body of toxins, since we couldn't get into our regular lunch spot," she muttered. "She wasn't kidding about the cl-" she emptied her stomach again, unable to finish the sentence.

"Okay, don't talk. Try to breath more calmly," he told her, as she breathed heavily into the toilet.

Steve moved over to the sink and grabbed a washcloth off the shelf, before running it under the water. Wringing it out, he moved back over to Claire and knelt down next to her, dabbing the back of her neck and her forehead. He stayed by her side as she threw up a few more times, before pushing herself away from the toilet.

"Done?" he asked, as she sat still.

Claire nodded, "I think so," she said quietly. "God I hope so."

He used the washcloth to wipe her face down, and slowly helped her to her feet. Claire moved to the sink and brushed her teeth, while Steve flushed the toilet.

"Clean up and change your clothes," he said, as Claire washed her face down with cold water. "I'll bring up some tea and water and you're getting in bed and resting," he said.

Too tired and weak to argue, Claire simply nodded and watched as he disappeared into her bedroom and out into the hallway. Feeling embarrassed and upset, Claire dragged herself out into the bedroom and changed into a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt, before pulling her hair up into a messy bun. She was pulling herself into bed, when Steve returned with two drinks.

"Chamomile and water," he said, setting both cups down on her nightstand.

Claire watched as he went back into the bathroom, only to return with the small garbage can. Groaning at the prospect of throwing up again, Claire settled against the pillows and closed her eyes. Steve pulled the blankets up and tucked her in bed, before sitting down next to her.

"I'm sorry for ruining dinner," she mumbled, opening her eyes to look at him.

"Don't be sorry, Claire. It happens," he said, as she shifted under the blankets.

"I'm never letting Pepper pick out restaurants again. Her choice in food sucks."

Steve chuckled, "Does your stomach hurt? I can check the medicine cabinet for something?" he asked.

Claire shook her head, "The tea will be fine," she said, nodding her head to the cup on her nightstand.

"I'm going to clean up in the kitchen and I'll come back to check up on you," he said, standing up. "Watch some television and try to relax," he said, reaching for the remote on the nightstand.

Claire managed a small smile, "Look at you being all motherly," she said softly. "It's so cute."

He chuckled and leaned down to kiss her forehead, "I'll be back soon," he said, before moving away to the door.

With one last look, Steve made his way down the hall to the stairs, leaving her alone in bed. With a sigh, Claire turned the television on and flipped through the channels, before settling on a re-run of Dance Moms. Tossing the remote to the side, Claire snuggled further under the blankets and plotted her revenge on Pepper.


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10: In which Claire gets a rude awakening and finds out that Steve kept a secret from everyone._

Claire was dreaming of snow and Steve, both of them curled up on the sofa in front of the fireplace. She could smell the pinecones and peppermint and the sound of Christmas music in the background. A tingle shot through her foot and up her leg, making her shift. It stopped and Claire sighed, rolling over onto her side. A few seconds later, she felt the tingle again; this time on her nose.

Her eyes snapped open and she came face to face with a bright pink feather and Tony's grinning face.

"What are you doing!" she yelled, as he wiggled the feather in her face.

"Waking you up!"

Claire swatted the feather and sat up, rubbing her face. "You can be a real jerk, Tony," she snapped.

Tony sighed as he sat down on the side of her bed, playing with the cuffs of his shirt. "And you can be a real snotty brat," he shot back. "My ray of sunshine," he chirped.

"What do you want?" she asked, laying back against the pillows.

She ran her fingers through her hair, which fell apart from the bun that held up the wavy strands.

"Well, I called this morning to see if you and Captain Icicle wanted to join Pepper and I for breakfast. He told me what happened and we came over after our morning meeting with the painters," he said, as Claire made a face.

"I don't want to go anywhere that has to do with food and Pepper. She's the reason why I got sick."

Tony rolled his eyes, "It's your own fault for agreeing to eating at that organic place," he said. "Pepper obviously has bad taste in restaurants."

Claire sighed, "Yeah well… her adventure ruined my dinner date with Steve," she pouted.

"Dinner date?" he asked, surprised.

She nodded, "He made dinner and I came home and got sick. Ruined it and embarrassed myself in front of him," she said sadly.

Tony rolled his eyes, "Oh my god, I can't believe I'm sitting here right now," he groaned. "You sound like a teenaged girl, wondering if the popular boy at school likes her or not."

Claire stared at him while he rolled his eyes, "I never thought I'd be in this position," he complained.

"Oh my god, Tony! I think I'm gonna throw up!" she cried, bolting up in bed.

Tony let out a shout and jumped off the bed, running to the doorway. Claire laughed as he stood with a wild look on his face, glaring at the blonde.

"That was not funny!" he snapped.

Claire nodded her head, "It was. Now get out of my room and let me get ready!" she demanded, watching as he disappeared from her sight, grumbling all the way down the stairs. Ten minutes later, Claire was showered and dressed and heading into the kitchen.

"Ahh there's the demon!" Tony cried, pointing to her as he sat at her kitchen table.

Claire rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Tony stop!" Pepper scolded, slapping his hand.

Steve made his way across the kitchen with a fresh cup of tea and handed it to her, "Good morning," he said, kissing her forehead. "Feeling better?" he asked, as she took a sip.

"A little bit. I'm hungry," she said, as her stomach grumbled on cue.

He chuckled, "I figured. Pepper was talking about this pl-" he started, before she cut him off.

"NO!"

Tony started laughing, while Pepper rolled her eyes. Steve chuckled, as Claire blushed, not meaning to cause an outburst.

"I- I mean I could make breakfast here," she said weakly, with a shrug.

"Relax Claire. It's not organic and you know of the place," she said, with a shrug.

Tony grinned, "We're going to IHop!"

Steven and Claire started at him, as he bounced in his seat with a huge smile on his face. "IHop!" he cheered again, slapping his hands onto the table.

Claire shook her head, "Oh my god," she mumbled.

By the end of the month, Claire was back to her normal self and avoided all things organic when she went food shopping. With nothing to do for S.H.I.E.L.D, Claire kept herself occupied with cleaning the house and sketching. During this time, Claire managed to teach Steve how to use a cellphone and how to surf the web. Hours after his searching, he would come out of the study with a sad look on his face. Without a word, Steve would collapse next to her on the sofa or on her bed and wrap his arms around her.

It wasn't until he fell into a fitful sleep, that Claire found what made him so upset. Tracing back the internet history, she saw that Steve used Google to search for a number of different people- ones that she'd never hear of. It wasn't until she read the obituaries that she realized who they were. Among the obituaries, she found searches on many different events that occurred after Steve crashed into the ice. The finale of the war, Vietnam, Watergate, September eleventh and the election of Barack Obama to name a few.

The entire history of the United States and the world in general, all listed in the history browser of her computer. Claire sighed sadly, as she closed the internet page down. Opening a new one, she went to the search engine and typed in Captain America. She was surprised at all the results that popped up for one Captain America. Granted, most of what she found was recent news after Loki's attack on the city. But then she found fan pages and other biographical sites. Most related to Steve and his promoting of war bonds and how he traveled to stationed soldiers in Europe to perform.

She found old photographs and read up on Howard Stark and the start of Stark Industries. Three hours later, Claire was up to her ears in World War Two history and how Tony took over his fathers company. She also learned that Steve kept his birthday hidden from her and the others for almost three weeks. Shutting the computer down, Claire made her way into the living room and stood behind the couch and watched as Steve slept. Then she made her way into the kitchen and started pulled boxes out of the cabinet and pans from under the sink.

An hour later, Steve was stumbling into the kitchen, his clothes wrinkled.

"I smell something. Food. What did you make?" he asked, as Claire stood with her back towards him.

"Well, I learned that someone kept a very important event from everyone," she said, picking up the plate.

Turning around, she managed a small smile. "So, when I found out about this said event," she shrugged. "I was pretty upset, but then I figured that it would do me no good to be upset and I came in here to make this," she finished, nodding her head to the plate.

Steve looked at the chocolate covered cake and smiled, "You made me a cake?" he asked.

Claire nodded, "And I put candles and I even wrote 'Happy Birthday, Steve' on it."

He moved closer to her and looked at the neat scripture in blue icing, and the three candles that rested in the cake.

"I don't really know what age you're going by these days. But I figured three candles could be three wishes," she said, shrugging.

"It's perfect, Claire," he said, looking up at her.

Claire nodded, "Good," she said. "Now sit down and we'll light these candles and you can make a wish; or three, and blow them out," she said.

Steve moved to the table and sat down, while Claire set the cake down. She ran back to the counter and picked up the box of matches and moved back over to him. Taking a match out, she struck it against the side of the box and lit the three candles.

"Can I sing to you?" she asked, as he pulled her down onto his lap.

Steve chuckled, "If you'd like," he said.

Claire sang the cheery little tune, giggling the entire time, and watched as Steve paused before blowing out the candles.

"What did you wish for?" she asked, as he sat back in the chair.

"Now that," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I can't tell you."

She pouted, "Not even one?" she asked.

When Steve made no motion to tell her what he wished for, she got up with a sigh of defeat.

"I hope you wished for something good though," she said, pulling down two plates. "Like Tony waking up with his lips glued together."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Steve and Claire go on their first date. Hurricane Lauren ruins Tony's plans for a Hampton's vacation and puts the East Coast into a panic.**_

Claire ran her fingers through her neatly curled hair, before grabbing her shoes off the chair and heading out into the hallway. It was early August and the Eastern Seaboard was under a massive heat wave, sending flocks of civilians to movie theaters, cooling centers, pools and beaches. Steve enjoyed the heat, going for runs in Central Park and being outside in general.

Two weeks after Claire's birthday surprise for Steve, he finally asked her out on a date. With the heat being unbearable to do much of anything, Steve came up with the idea of seeing a movie. A local theater re-opened after sustaining significant damage during Loki's attack, which played classic films. Not fully accustomed to films of the new era, he thought a little black and white and Technicolor wouldn't hurt. When he brought the idea up to Claire, she said yes without any hesitation.

"Steve are you ready to go?" Claire shouted, as she stood at the bottom of the staircase. "The movie starts in twenty minutes!"

"Yes Tony, I saw the news. No Tony, I don't know what we're going to do," Steve said, as he poked his head out from the kitchen.

Claire snorted and made her way down the hall, stopping before him. She motioned for him to hand the phone over, which he did and she sighed.

"Stark, I have a very important date and your constant worrying about a storm that hasn't even hit the country, is really annoying me. Now, I will talk to you tomorrow," she said, before hanging up. "God, he's so paranoid!"

Steve chuckled as he put the phone back on the cradle, "He wants us to stay at his place until the storm passes,' he said, as they made their way to the front door.

Claire rolled his eyes, "The freaking thing isn't even supposed to hit us!" she exclaimed, as they stepped out onto the stoop. "Besides, you're supposed to stay away from windows during storms. Stark Tower is all glass!"

"Maybe he misses us?" Steve asked, making her laugh.

"You mean, he misses making ice jokes about you to your face?"

She locked the front door and took Steve's waiting hand, following him down to the sidewalk. The air was thick with humidity and the sweat automatically began to drip down her back. Claire would've been disgusted with herself for sweating on a first date, after making sure she looked nice. But when she wrapped her arm around Steve's waist, she felt the dampness on the back of his shirt and didn't feel as bad.

"I don't know how you're wearing jeans, Steve. The thought of heavy denim is giving me heat stroke," she muttered, as they crossed the street.

….

_The Philadelphia Story _became Claire's new favorite movie, and she made sure everyone knew it as she and Steve walked back home.

"I didn't expect to enjoy that movie as much as I did!" Claire admitted, as they made their way into the house. "It was nice to see something that was loaded with special effects."

She slipped her shoes off by the door and dropped the keys on the table, moving towards the thermostat. Steve shut the door and locked it, before making his way over to her.

"So I take it you had fun?" he asked, as she turned around to face him.

Claire smiled and wrapped her arms around him, "I did have fun."

Steve leaned down to kiss her, holding her tightly against him as he did so. After a few minutes and a desperate need of air, they parted.

"Well, I'm gonna get ready for bed. It's getting late," she said softly.

Steve nodded, "Me too," he said. "Breakfast tomorrow?" he asked, as she made her way up the stairs.

Claire stopped and looked down at him, "Yeah. I have no plans for tomorrow," she said, before smiling. "Good night, Steve."

"Night, Claire."

…

By Friday, Hurricane Lauren went from a category one to a category 4, heading up the East Coast. Manhattan went into a panic, as mandatory evacuation took place in the lower parts of the city. All week long, Tony called and complained about having to cancel the annual trip to the Hampton's because of the storm. But it didn't stop him from begging Claire to bring herself and Steve to his place.

"I don't understand what he can't grasp!" Claire said, as she unloaded the grocery bags. "We are much more safer here, than at his place!"

The television in the living room was permanently stuck on the weather channel, and Steve was glued to it. This was his first hurricane in seventy years, and the advanced technology used to track them was mind-blowing to him.

"What if it gets really bad?" he shouted from the kitchen.

Claire snorted, "Steve, it'll either rain or turn at the last minute and move further East," she said, walking into the living room.

She glanced at the screen and rolled her eyes, as the stationed meteorologists reported from cities in the storms path. Grabbing the remote from the arm of the sofa, Claire turned the set off and dropped in onto the table.

"I was watching that!" Steve exclaimed.

Claire sighed, "They've been repeating the same thing over and over again for the last hour, Steve."

He pouted, "But it's interesting!"

"Could you please help me find candles and flashlights?" she asked. "Since I said no to Tony, he made me promise that we would be prepared for when the power went out," she said, rolling her eyes.

Steve sighed and pulled himself off the sofa, "Didn't we leave them in your room the last time the power went out?" he asked, as he moved past her.

Claire followed him, "I took them out when I was cleaning and now I can't find them," she said. "I'll look upstairs again if you check the kitchen."

An hour later, twelve candles and three flashlights were placed throughout the house for easy access. Claire settled into the kitchen to make dinner, while Steve went back to watch the news. She had to bribe him away from the television to have dinner at the table, much to her annoyance.

"I'm sorry, I just think it's cool!" he insisted, as they ate.

She sighed, "When is this thing supposed to hit anyway? Not that I'm expecting it to hit," she mumbled.

"You're very grumpy today," Steve stated, as she pushed the food around on her plate.

She scoffed, "You try buying food in a packed market with morons running around like headless chickens! Stocking up on milk and bread as if it's the end of the world!"

Steve chuckled and she continued, "I don't understand why one would need six gallons of milk! If the power goes out, it'll go bad!" she exclaimed.

"How about we call it an early night? No more weather television or anything about this storm?" he asked.

Claire nodded, "Are you sure? You seem pretty comfortable on the couch," she said, as he stood up to clear the table.

"I'm sure, Claire. I've been up since five, when Tony called the first time about this entire thing."

…

_Whack. Whack. Whack._

Claire slowly opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling.

_Whack. Whack. Whack._

The sound of water hitting the windowpanes and a huge gust of wind could be heard from outside. Claire groaned and rolled over, glancing at the clock on her nightstand. It was three-thirty and it was raining. Pushing the blankets off and moved to the window, peeking out between the curtains. She could see the rain falling down in a slant, in the lighting from the street lamps. The tree that stood between her townhouse and the next creaked and groaned in the heavy wind.

The _whack _came from the tree branches, smacking against the windows near her bed.

"Really?" she asked herself, moving away from the window.

Claire went facedown on the bed, and tried to go back to sleep. But five minutes passed and she was still awake, which made her angry. Rolling off the bed, Claire made her way out of her bedroom and down the hall to Steve's room. The door was slightly open, as entered. Making her way across the room, Claire crawled up the bed and settled next to him.

"Hmm wha?" Steve mumbled, as he stirred in his sleep.

Claire pulled the blankets up and slipped under them, "Goddamn storm is here and I can't sleep," she mumbled, settling down next to him.

Steve peered at her through bleary eyes and from the glow of the lights outside, "It is?" he asked.

"Yeah and my damn tree is hitting the windows," she groaned, settling her head against his chest.

He nodded, "Cool," he yawned, as he pulled the blankets higher up over them. "Night," he mumbled, before falling back to sleep.

Claire snuggled closer to him before closing her eyes, falling quickly into a peaceful slumber.


	12. Chapter 12

_In which Hurricane Lauren takes out NYC and leaves everyone locked up and off the streets. _

"It's coming down hard," Steve said, as he peeked out of the window. "Are you sure we're safe here?"

Claire giggled, "We'll be fine, Steve. It's rained worse and nothing ever happened, except a flooded street and downed trees."

Letting the curtains fall back, Steve turned around and made his way over to her. "At least we have power," he said.

They made their way into the living room and sat down on the couch, ready to start their slumming days. After the rude awakening earlier that morning, they managed to sleep in until ten, before waking up the see the damage that the hurricane created. Both were shocked at the thick sheets of rain and howling wind, turning the everyday bright streets of Manhattan from morning to night.

"What are we going to do?" Claire asked, as she settled her head on his lap. "The radio said the storm grew and slowed down as it hit the city."

Steve shrugged, "I don't know," he said. "But how bad could it be? At least we're not locked up with Stark."

…

By the next night, the rain continued to fall and the power had long gone out. With a battery-operated radio keeping them updated and a faulty signal from Claire's cell phone, they were cut off from the outside world.

"This is why I hate the summer," Claire grumbled, as tossed a melted carton of ice cream into the sink. "Goddamn heat and goddamn hurricanes."

With little lighting from candles and flashlights, discarding a majority of the food was a hassle. Finding food to eat was also a game, as they tried to eat as much as they could from the fridge before it all went bad.

"How about we leave that for tomorrow? We can't put the garbage outside and the power only went out yesterday," Steve said, as he came over to her with a flashlight in his hand.

Claire sighed, "Fine," she mumbled, closing the door. "Goddamn shit, stupid storm."

Steve chuckled as she marched down the hall and towards the stairs, pounding her feet on each step. Blowing the candles out on the table, he quickly followed her and met up in her room.

"We could play another round of Gin," he suggested, as she sat down on her bed.

She scoffed, "No way. You beat me the last ten times we've played."

Steve sat across from her, "It's not my fault you lack card skills," he shrugged, as she gasped.

A rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance and Claire began to giggle, falling back against the mattress.

"What's so funny?" Steve asked, as she rolled around giggling.

'Thor's the god of thunder, right?" she asked, before snorting.

Steve nodded slowly, "Y-es? Why?"

Claire sat up, shoulders trembling as she giggled. "Do you ever wonder what he's doing up there in Asgard when we have thunderstorms?" she asked. "I always picture him in footie pajamas, searching around his castle for poptarts."

Steve's mouth began to twitch as Claire continued, "And when he can't find any he gets really mad and shouts "Where are thy poptarts? I shall seek this mortal treat!" and throws a goblet of mead down and stomps back to his room like a four year old."

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, reaching out to touch her forehead. "Or is this a result of hanging around Tony for too long?"

Claire laughed, "Tony wishes he could have my imagination," she boasted.

Steve rolled his eyes, "I think you should take a nap and work off that excessive energy," he said.

"Maybe you could help with that?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows at him. When he blushed, Claire snorted and covered her mouth. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed.

He shrugged, "Don't worry about it," he said, as she crawled over to him.

"I'm sorry! I know it's a sensitive subject and I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable," she said, hugging him tightly. "Forgive me?" she whispered.

Steve kissed her forehead, "You're forgiven, Claire," he said. "Always."


	13. Chapter 13

**I am SO sorry for the massive delay! Things have gotten so busy on my end and for a while I lost interest in this story! I'm going to try and update this as often as possible, though it may take a while! Again, I apologize! **

_**Hurricane Lauren hits and causes massive destruction. Claire brings up her past. **_

By the early morning hours, Hurricane Lauren was at full force, ripping tree limbs and knocking garbage cans down the streets. Claire pulled the curtains shut and moved back to the sofa, sitting down as Steve flipped through a book.

"I can't believe this things hit," she groaned, resting her head against his shoulder. "Dammit."

"You should always trust the weatherman, Claire,' he set the book down. "At least that what I think."

She snorted, "I'm hungry," she looked up at him. 'Are you hungry?"

Steve watched as she scrambled up and off the couch, "Where are you going?" he asked.

"To make food!" she shouted from the kitchen. "We should probably eat something before the power goes out!"

….

By four, the weather took a turn for the worst. Sure enough, the power had gone out and put the townhouse in total darkness. Claire and Steve played a various card games and ate cold leftovers for dinner. By the time night fell, they put the candles out and carried the flashlights upstairs. With the tree branch slamming full force against the window, Claire quickly changed her clothes and met Steve in his room.

"I'll have to get those branches cut after this storm," she sighed, sitting down on the bed. "Maybe I could get Tony to do it."

Steve had already changed into pajamas, as was looking out the window. "Whoa," he backed away from the window. "A garbage can just went flying into someone's car."

Claire giggled as he made his way over to the bed, "That happens," she nodded.

Sitting in the dark, Claire and Steve listened as the rain splattered against the windows. The wind howled outside, knocking garbage cans and other loose items over and down the sidewalks.

"Wanna play another round of Gin?" he asked, as the window rattled in a heavy gust of wind.

Claire shook her head, "I think we should retire that pack of cards," she said, nodding to the pack between them. "You've beaten me in almost everything and I don't know anymore card tricks."

Steve snickered, "I apologize," he nodded. "What do you want to do now?"

"We could talk," she shrugged. "Most people would start off a conversation about the weather…"

"Ah, I see," Steve nodded. "Let's talk about you."

Claire frowned, "Me?" she asked. "Why? My story is nothing compelling or thrilling like others, Steve. It's a plotline for one of those twisted cable movies."

"But _I _find you interesting," he smiled. "Please? I live with you, yet I hardly know you."

She sighed, "Fine, okay!" she shifted on the bed. "Hmmm well you know that I work for S.H.E.I.L.D and that I make clothes for everyone, including your suit."

Steve smiled, "Let's start with the basics," he offered. "When's your birthday?"

"September 15th," she replied, before letting out a giggle. "Twenty questions? Really, Steve?"

He shrugged, "It works," he blushed, making her giggle harder. "Fine, I wont ask the twenty questions. How about you tell me what you want me to know."

Claire stopped giggling and nodded slowly, "It's not a happy story, Steve," she said quietly.

"Most stories aren't happy, Claire," he shrugged lightly. "But that doesn't mean you wont find a happy ending."

She nodded, "Well, I was born here in New York and I've lived in this house all my life," she started. "My father was a doctor at Lenox Hill and specialized in infectious diseases and was a trauma surgeon. My mother was a teacher, who quit after I was born."

Steve shifted on the end of the bed as she continued, "When I was ten, my father was sent to Malaysia to help with a severe drought crisis and disappeared when an earthquake offshore triggered a tsunami."

He remembered the talk that Tony gave him earlier in the summer, after Claire's dinner party. But hearing it from her and seeing the look on her face, broke his heart.

"I never saw him again and when word got back to the States, my mother went insane," she shook her head. "Killed herself the day after the funeral and My Aunt Laura moved in to take care of me."

"You don't have to tell me all of it," Steve said. "If it's too much to relive then I don't want you to tell me it all right now."

But Claire shook her head, "Why not? I know more about you, Steve. It's only fair."

He nodded and she continued, "So lets see… Ah yes! I was sixteen when I got into FIT, being one of those special cases when my art teacher sent my sketches in for evaluation. Ended up getting a GED instead of a diploma, which at the time meant very little to me. I met Pepper at a fundraiser at the school and she saw my work, which led me straight into Tony Stark's life. They were both very impressed with me, and I suddenly became their go-to girl for clothes and whatnot."

"And then you got involved with S.H.E.I.L.D?" he asked, as she nodded.

"It was an accident," she sighed. "I never told Tony or Pepper how I got the job, but Fury knew who I was and that I was close to Tony and offered me a job. I was working on under armor for Tony, using various types of fabrics and hard materials. By then, I was nineteen and my Aunt Laura was dead after a very short battle with cancer and I needed a job."

Steve shook his head, "But you could've had a life outside of this," he said. "You could've opened your own store or worked for a big designer."

Claire laughed, "I don't want that though," she shook her head. "I like what I do, Steve. I like making sure that you guys are wearing the right things to keep you safe. I like that I get a part in protecting you, because in a sense, it's like I'm also protecting the world," she shook her head. "I may not be strong or have the ability to possess natural elements… but I feel like a hero too."

Silence fell between the two of them, as the wind howled outside and the rain pounded against the windows. "You are a hero," Steve finally said. "Not because you kept us safe with sturdy fabrics and a thin sheet of durable armor, but with every ounce of love and care that you've stitched into each piece."

"Steve.. " she blushed.

He moved from the edge of the bed until he was sitting next to her, "I feel safer knowing that you're on our side," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Do you use that line on all the other girls?" she smirked.

"What other girls?" he asked, looking down at his lap. "You're the only girl that's actually taken interest in knowing the real me. Everyone else wants to know about _Captain America _or about the man who slept through six decades."

Claire shrugged, "Well, I really don't care about _Captain America," _she admitted, which made him look up quickly. "I mean, don't get me wrong! _Captain America _is.. amazing. What came out of that experiment is extraordinary, Steve! But he's just one fragment of your life, whether you believe it or not."

He nodded, "But I want to know more about Steve Rogers," she continued. "I'm not dating _Captain America. _I'm dating Steve Rogers."

"Steve Rogers was a boring guy though," he said. "Really Claire, I was nothing before this entire thing happened to me all those years ago."

She shook her head and smiled, "You could never be boring," she whispered, reaching up to touch his cheek. "You're a little outdated, but not boring."

A crack of thunder shook the townhouse, as they moved closer to one another. "I can't just… get rid of him," he said, as she inched closer. "He'll always be a part of me."

"I know," she nodded. "And I wont get in the way of that, Steve. You save people and protect the world, along with our friends. I could _never _tell you to stop doing that."

The kiss was electric as their lips touched, sending shivers up Claire's spine. Steve slipped his fingers through her hair and cradled the back of her head, while the other hand snaked around her waist and settled on her back. Lowering her down against the plush pillows, Steve settled over her body and slowly relaxed against her.

For the first time in a long time, Claire managed to sleep through the entire night, as the storm raged outside her bedroom window.


End file.
